"Thea! Do not let go!” Raf screamed as he saw her fingers start to open. He lurched forward and clamped his free hand around her wrist just as her hand fell away from the hilt of the sword. He dropped the blade as they began their inexorable glide into oblivion.
"Forgive me, Dale,” he whispered.
* * * *
Dale arrived just in time to see the two people she loved going over the cliff. Ignoring the dangerous tilt of the ground, she ran across the plateau and dropped to her knees next to Raf's legs.
She wrapped her hands around his ankles and calves and struggled to yank him back. The muddy ground sucked at them. She bit her lip against the renewed pain in her belly and pulled.
T'Nar's strong, fur-covered hands joined hers. Together they dragged Raf and Thea away from the edge of the crumbling cliff.
Sobbing, Dale gathered Thea into her arms. She stroked the hair from Thea's face. Rain washed away mud and tears as they clung together. T'Nar knelt quietly at their side. Raf staggered to his feet.
Thea stirred in Dale's embrace. She smiled weakly up at Raf. “Thank you."
"No thanks are necessary, my lady.” Raf smiled in return.
"Words are inadequate to express my thanks.” Dale stared up at Raf. His smile disappeared. Covered in mud, blood dripping from his hand, he glared back at her. The pouring rain didn't douse the angry spark in his eyes.
"You disobeyed my orders and put yourself in danger."
Dale's own anger ignited in return. “If I hadn't, both you and my daughter would be dead."
"Now is not the time.” T'Nar stepped between them. “We must leave this place."
"T'Nar's right. I set the explosives all along the pass. We're too close.” Thea pointed toward where they could still make out Devros climbing over the rocks that had fallen across the opening. Soon he would reach the top and disappear.
"T'Nar, take the women down the trail. I must stop Devros."
Dale couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pain speared through her side. Or was it her heart? “Let him go. It's over. When the explosives go off, he'll either be killed or trapped on the other side. There's no need to risk your life."
"There is every need. You must understand. With his dying breath my father made me vow to stop Stefan. Honor demands I fulfill that vow. Until my brother is brought to justice, none are safe from his evil. He is of my blood. It is my duty to stop him."
"Oh, I understand all right. I understand that your damned honor means more to you than me. I understand that you're a warrior, but is it justice you want? Or revenge? What about me? What duty do you owe me?"
His face remained impassive through her tirade. “I will return to you. You have my word.” He spoke calmly, as if speaking to a hysterical child.
Dale hugged Thea close to her chest to stop herself from begging him to stay. “I understand that I'm a fool,” she whispered into Thea's wet hair.
When he leaned over to kiss her, she twisted her face away. Hurt flashed in his eyes, then he turned and ran toward the pass.
"Come, we must leave.” T'Nar helped Dale and Thea to their feet.
Thea moaned and went limp. T'Nar swung her slight frame into his arms and started down the trail.
Safe at the edge of the trail, Dale stopped and turned to watch as Raf made his way up the rockslide behind Devros. She almost wished the rain would obscure the view, but the scene played out in horrifying detail.
Raf came up behind Devros. Sword in hand, Devros whirled to confront his brother. Heart in her throat, Dale realized that Raf was unarmed. His sword lay at the bottom of the cliff.
Thunder drowned out their words, but Dale could see the two men speak. Raf appeared calm, but Devros waved his arms wildly. Lightning flashed off his sword. He struck out. Raf dodged and grappled with Devros. The two became one, twisting and turning in a blur of motion.
Dale pressed her fisted knuckles to her mouth to keep from crying out. Tears streamed down her face, washed away by the pounding rain.
A distant explosion rocked the ground then another, closer. Thea's explosive charges were going off. The two men seemed oblivious to the danger approaching them. They continued to fight, neither able to subdue the other. She had to stop them. Dale took a step forward. A spasm of pain speared her belly.
A third explosion jarred her to her knees. One by one the explosions came, each closer than the last. Rocks tumbled down the sides of the pass. Still, Raf and Devros fought on.
"No!” Dale screamed as the last explosion tore the pass asunder. The two men broke apart and, for a moment, stood motionless, silhouetted against the explosion's dust cloud. Across the distance, Dale felt Raf's gaze upon her. Then he dived to one side as a boulder crushed Devros. More rocks buried him. In the rain and flying debris, she lost sight of Raf.
A silent prayer echoed in her mind as she waited for the cloud to dissipate. Suddenly the rain ceased and the world went still. She searched the now rubble-filled pass, but Raf was gone.
She buried her face in her hands, but no tears came. Raf was gone. Dead. Why couldn't she cry? Rage? Grieve? Tears wouldn't bring Raf back any more than they had brought back her father, Steven or Cathy. For the sake of Thea and her unborn son, Dale shut down her emotions. She had to be strong.
"T'Dal?"
Dale jerked at the soft touch on her shoulder. She looked up into T'Mal's compassion-filled eyes. His pity stiffened her spine. She stood, shrugging off his hand as he tried to help.
"I'm fine. Let's go. Thea needs medical help."
T'Mal nodded sadly. “She is badly injured. She no longer responds. Look below, King Timon's troops have arrived. The compound is now under his control."
* * * *
The weeklong trip down the mountain into Cleva, Dramon's capital city, passed in a blur. Dale and an unconscious Thea rode in a litter King Timon's men provided, while T'Nar and T'Mal, unable to ride the nervous quinar, trotted tirelessly alongside.
Once they reached the castle, a healer examined Thea. Though T'Nar's bond with Thea seemed to have slowed the progression of her kidney failure, the blow to her head had left her in a coma. The healer dosed her with medication for the infection raging through her slight body, but he could do nothing to wake her. He also examined Dale and found her fit, the baby unharmed by their ordeal.
Numb with grief, past, present and future, Dale remained at Thea's side. T'Nar curled at the foot of the bed. With each passing day, he grew more withdrawn and silent, as if he were joining Thea in her coma.
Shaking his head, the healer left them alone. When Thea's condition worsened, he sent for assistance. Dozens of healers came and went, but none offered any hope.
The weather seemed determined to match Dale's hopeless mood. Rain continued to pour. Thunder rumbled and lightning streaked across the sky. With every flash, the crystal in her pocket heated. She clutched the shard and stared at her fragile daughter. Earth offered medical help not available on this primitive world. But if she believed T'Mal's warning, taking Thea away from this world and T'Nar, would tear their souls apart, perhaps kill them. But if Thea remained here, would she survive?
And what of Raf's unborn son? What effect would the trip through time and space have on him? Questions without answers circled Dale's mind like a hamster on a wheel. She let the crystal drop out of her hand. Until there was no other choice, she couldn't take the risk.
"Dale?"
Dale lifted her head as young King Timon entered the room quietly and stood next to Thea's bed. She smiled at the handsome boy king. Something about him struck a familiar cord, but she couldn't think of what it was right now. Still, his concern for her and Thea warmed Dale's heart.
Dramon was fortunate to have such a wise and caring monarch. Already he'd signed a treaty with the mountain Shakar, dealt with the remaining slavers, and seen to the return of the captives to their homes.
Dale would have liked to have been there when Dolan was reunited with his wife and child, but Thea remained in critical cond
ition.
"I have brought our best healer to care for Theadora.” He cast an adoring look toward Thea
Dale's smile grew. From the first moment he'd laid eyes on Thea, Timon had been smitten.
"I would have summoned Sianna Cathor immediately, but she was out of the country, assisting with the birth of Prince Ash de Gar's first child. She has just returned."
"Prince Ash de Gar.” Dale growled the name as anger stirred inside her. Because of Prince Ash de Gar, Cathy was dead. Because of Prince Ash de Gar, Raf was dead. Because of Prince Ash de Gar, Thea might die. Whatever happened, someday Prince Ash de Gar would know the suffering he'd caused. It felt good to find a focus for her fear, pain and anger.
"Shall I admit her?” King Timon asked.
Though she wondered what more this doctor could do that the others hadn't, she said, “Of course.” Dale stood. Timon opened the door, and he left as the healer entered.
Dale felt the woman's presence before she entered the room. Dressed in a white, flowing robe-like gown, Sianna Cathor radiated warmth, and a soft glow seemed to surround her. Except for the black hair braided around her face and the sparkle of humanity in her violet eyes, the woman looked like an angel.
Afraid of having her hopes crushed again, Dale stiffened in fear.
T'Nar's fur bristled, and he placed himself between Thea and the woman. This was his first reaction to the world around him, since Thea had slipped into her coma.
"Be at ease, young Shakar. I mean your hapala no harm.” The woman moved close and stroked T'Nar's head. Where she touched him the area looked hazy. Dale blinked and the view sharpened.
T'Nar's slanted eyes widened. His body relaxed and he pressed his cheek into the woman's palm. With a soft, rumbling purr he settled back down next to the bed.
"Rest now,” she said. “Your hapala will be fine."
Dale shook off the feeling of hope this woman inspired. “Don't promise what you can't deliver.” Her voice rasped with anger, not at this angelic woman, but at fate.
The woman stepped forward and gently touched Dale's belly, then smiled. “You carry a son. Fear not. The pain you feel comes not from any danger to him, but from your heart. He will be strong and healthy."
Warmth surged through Dale. In shock, she stared at the pale blue haze surrounding her middle.
She jumped back and pressed her palm against her belly. “How do you know?"
"It is my gift. Will you allow me to help your daughter?"
"Y-yes. Of course."
A pearl white glow emanated from the woman hands as she bent over and laid them on Thea's temples. She then moved one hand down Thea to rest at her waist. The glow grew, expanding to encompass the woman as well as Thea's entire body. Dale stared into the swirling mist surrounding them, where unnamed colors danced and shimmered. Outside, the crash of thunder stopped. Inside her head, Dale heard a delicate sound, like the tinkle of bells or wind chimes. From the other side of the bed, the power of Sianna's healing touch washed over Dale like a warm summer breeze.
Time and breath ceased.
Then Sianna removed her hands and sagged away from the bed. The misty glow vanished abruptly. “It is time to awaken now, Theadora,” she whispered.
Afraid to see Thea's condition unchanged, Dale focused her gaze on Sianna. The woman's milky skin looked drawn and gray, the sparkle in her violet eyes dimmed.
Hope died. The woman had failed.
Chapter Eighteen
"T'Nar?"
At the sound of Thea's small voice, Dale dropped to her knees beside the bed and clutched Thea's outstretched hand. Tears burned Dale's eyes. Thea would live, but she was still lost. The connection between Thea and T'Nar was stronger than the blood she and Thea shared.
T'Nar took Thea's other hand. “I am here."
"What happened? I can't seem to remember much after I lit the last fuse. Where's my mom? Mom!” Thea's voice rose in panic as she tried to sit up.
"Shhh, baby. I'm here, too.” Dale stroked the tangled hair from Thea's face. “Take it easy. Everything is okay. You're going to be fine. Isn't she?” She looked up at Sianna.
"The sickness that was within your daughter is gone."
"But how?"
The woman sounded beyond weary, but she gave Dale a reassuring smile. “Does it matter?"
Dale shook her head and turned back to Thea.
"And Raf?” Thea's brow puckered in concentration. “I remember he saved my life."
Dale ducked her head to hide the answer in her eyes.
"We do not know,” T'Nar answered. “He and Devros were caught by the explosion in the pass. His body has not been recovered."
"Oh, Mom. I'm so sorry."
Dale raised her head and smiled at her daughter. How like Thea to consider her feelings. “I'm all right."
"But you love him."
"Yes, I loved him, but he's gone and life goes on. You're safe. That's all that matters.” She wouldn't burden Thea with the pain of her loss.
Thea worried her lower lip with her teeth and looked at Dale. “Mom, y-you know I can't go back to Earth. Not now. Maybe never."
"I know."
"What will you do?"
Thea's simple question rocked Dale back on her heels.
What would she do?
For her help in stopping the slavers, King Timon had promised her a place in the castle for as long as she wanted. She didn't have to do anything. But what kind of life would that be? One devoid of purpose and love. She needed a reason, beyond the child growing inside her and her daughter, to live happily.
"Will you go back to Earth?” Thea asked, her voice small with unspoken fear.
"No. Even though you have a different destiny, I could never leave you. Besides, your baby brother will want to know his big sister."
Thea's eyes widened. “You're going to have Raf's baby? That's great! Did you hear that, T'Nar? We're going to have a baby hapal."
T'Nar smiled and nodded.
How easily Thea adapted to the changes in her life. Dale wished she could do the same.
Sianna stepped forward and touched Dale's shoulder. “Theadora should rest now, and so should you. You are both yet weak.” She took Dale's arm and led her from the room.
Dale paused at the door. “Are you coming, too, T'Nar?"
"Let him stay,” Sianna told her. “Theadora will rest better if he is close by. The bond between them has been strained to near the breaking point. They gain strength from each other."
Dale felt the spirit drain out of her as she followed Sianna down the corridor. “I've lost her."
Sianna's laugh sounded like musical chimes in the wind. “Nonsense. You will never lose her. You are her mother. Her bond with you is no less than the one she shares with T'Nar. It is just different. She will always be in your heart as you are in hers. Now is her time to fly free, to test her wings. She will return."
"But she'll never be my little girl again."
"Is that not the way of your people?” Sianna continued to speak as she led Dale into a comfortable bedchamber and helped her settle into bed. “You give birth to a child, nurture them through infancy and childhood, then set them free to find their own lives.” She tucked the blanket around Dale and stroked her brow.
Dale gave a small choked laugh. “I just didn't expect it to happen so soon or in this way."
"Growth is always a painful process, is it not? But it is not for Theadora that you grieve, is it? Before you can begin to heal, you must acknowledge the wound you carry in here.” Sianna touched Dale's chest. “Own your loss. Do not bury it where it will fester."
Dale closed her eyes and turned away from Sianna's gentle touch and wise counsel. “I don't know what you mean. You can't lose what you never had. Raf was never mine. He was a warrior. And a warrior can't be owned."
"Perhaps to find happiness with a warrior, a woman must accept him for what he is,” Sianna said.
"But my warrior is dead, so your theory is moot,” Dale snapped back.
/>
"His body may be gone, but would you kill the spirit of him that lives on within you?"
"Go away, Sianna.” The woman's words ate at Dale's lethargy, rousing her to new pain. “Like I told Thea, life goes on. I'll survive.” She would go on, for her own sake and the sake of her children.
Dale's tears started as the door clicked quietly shut behind Sianna.
The next morning she woke feeling surprisingly refreshed and filled with new purpose. Thea was doing well, content to rest, recuperate and explore her relationship with T'Nar, as well as Timon's intriguing castle.
After a brief audience with King Timon, it didn't take long for Dale to get the ball rolling. She was going to Mardelan to see Prince Ash de Gar. There were a few things she wanted to say to that man.
Three days later, under clear skies, she, T'Mal and a small contingent of King Timon's guard sailed downriver toward Castle Mar.
She stood at the helm of the boat. A mild breeze blew wisps of hair, which had grown since she'd left Earth, into her eyes. She breathed in moist air filled with the scent of new growth. Birds flitted alongside the boat and through the air. Their calls blended with the chirp of insects and the whoosh of the boat through the water in a soothing song. Peace settled over her.
T'Mal came to her side. Still uneasy with the Human-Shakar alliance, as well as most human company, he'd insisted on accompanying her. His attention eased Dale's sense of abandonment. She felt comfortable with him.
The river wound through a beautiful countryside—hills, woods, fields, farms and villages—all awakening to spring's allure.
"Do you see the countryside?” T'Mal asked gently.
She turned to face him. “No, not really. I'm thinking about my meeting with Prince Ash de Gar. The closer I get the more I wonder why I'm going to see him. Do I really need to know what happened between him and Cathy?” When she'd told T'Mal about her sister he'd accepted her story without comment. “Maybe I should just turn around and go back. How could I leave Thea? What if she needs me?"
"T'ea is fine. T'Nar will guard her well. She has much to learn of her Shakar heritage."
Shadow Moon Page 21